March 7, 2018

2017/18 Brazil Safrinha Corn 63% Planted

Author: Michael Cordonnier/Soybean & Corn Advisor, Inc.

Brazilian farmers are in the midst of harvesting their full-season corn crop and AgRural reported that 24% of the corn has been harvested compared to 29% last year and for the 5-year average. The full-season corn harvest is most advanced in Rio Grande do Sul where corn yields have been variable.

Planting of the safrinha corn crop is now the focus of attention in Brazil. AgRural reported that 63% of the safrinha corn has been planted as of last Friday compared to 75% last year and 64% for the 5-year average. Safrinha corn planting in Mato Grosso is doing OK and farmers in Parana made good advances in planting their safrinha corn. AgRural estimates that 3.9 million hectares of safrinha corn will be planted after March 1st.

The safrinha corn in Mato Grosso is 84% planted compared to 86% last year and 92% for the 5-year average. The safrinha corn is 94% planted in the mid-north and in northwestern Mato Grosso. In the state of Parana, the safrinha corn planting increased to 56%. Safrinha corn planting is 58% complete in Goias, 55% in Minas Gerais, 43% in Sao Paulo, and 33% in Mato Grosso do Sul.

The ideal planting windows for safrinha corn in Brazil have long closed and now the question is how long farmers will continue to risk planting their safrinha corn and will they plant all of the intended corn. There have been two positive developments for the safrinha corn. First of all, the weather has been good for the early vegetative development of the safrinha corn that has been planted. There is no shortage of soil moisture for the corn. Secondly, corn prices have been rising steadily since about mid-January and that might encourage Brazilian farmers to plant their safrinha corn later than what they normally would.

It has been reported that this year there will be the most ever safrinha corn planted after March 1st in Brazil. I would agree with that statement especially for the safrinha corn planted outside of the state of Mato Grosso. The "drop dead" date for planting safrinha corn in Mato Grosso is about March 10th. In Parana and southern Mato Grosso do Sul, farmers may still try to plant safrinha corn until about March 15th.